High school stages 'Bye Bye Birdie'

NEIGHBORS

Baby boomers and youngsters alike will be able to revisit the '50s this weekend when Mount Hebron High School's drama club stages "Bye Bye Birdie."

The play is a takeoff on the star worship experienced by Elvis Presley fans and contains some good doo-wop music.

Lead players include Katie Taylor as Rosie, Dave Mitchel and Elisabeth Marinelli as parental figures Albert and Mae Peterson, and Todd Chilton as the rocker Conrad Birdie.

All leads are played by seniors.

The lead characters are joined by a chorus, orchestra and set, costume and light crews totaling 120 students -- 10 percent of the school's population. This school community really gets involved in its productions!

"Bye Bye Birdie" will be performed at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

On March 18 the E.C. 225 Design Charette took place, and professional landscape architects joined county citizens to plan some plantings to "pretty up" Ellicott City's Historic District for its birthday.

The group came up with some smashing ideas for entrance areas and landscape improvements. Because so many people donated their entire Saturday to the process, I'd like to recognize them.

At the end of the day, small groups had surveyed portions of Ellicott City, drawn plans and come up with some exciting landscape ideas.

The ideas were presented to a panel of volunteer officials from local governmental agencies and businesses.

The panel included Charles D. Adams of the State Highway Administration, Jeff Bourne of Howard County Recreation and Parks, Charles Feaga of Howard County Council, Steven T. Shipp of the TSA Group, Charles Wagandt of the Oella Co., and Beverly Wilhide from the Office of the County Executive.

What's the next step?

E.C. 225 organizers are hoping to receive calls from area backyard gardeners who would be interested in trying out the ideas the professionals developed.

Call Ms. Hirshberg at 461-5517.

The plans are being organized into a formal report. I'll keep you posted.

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The Elkridge Area Jaycees are proud that one of their ranks will be running for a statewide Jaycee office.

Marty Niessner is throwing his hat into the ring for Jaycee membership vice president in the state of Maryland.

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On Wednesday evening, Howard High School will celebrate its triumph as a nominee Blue Ribbon School at a Martin's West dinner sponsored by the Maryland State Department of Education.

Attendance is planned to be nearly 1,000 people, with dignitaries such as state schools Superintendent Nancy S. Grasmick and Gov. Parris N. Glendening, county school Superintendent Michael E. Hickey and other county and school officials.

One hundred staff members, students and parents from Howard High plan to be there, and the school's Madrigal Singers will perform.

Kai Jackson of WJZ-TV 13 will be master of ceremonies.

Let's give credit to the two staff members who labored over the various forms, questions, and essays required to apply for the Blue Ribbon designation.

Bruce Riegel of the science department and Linda Storey of the English department spent many hours answering 60 different questions.

"Spare time in the fall?" says Mr. Riegel. "There was none."

One more detail about Howard High School: If you attended the play "Once Upon A Mattress" last weekend, you were in for a treat.

The play was wonderfully entertaining. My middle schooler, Sam, and I especially enjoyed the mute king, as played by student Ric Lanciotta.

Ric has the gift of physical comedy, and although he didn't have a line, he walked away with his scenes.

Children brought in their bikes for a safety inspection and were treated to a safety talk by John Overstreet, president of the Baltimore Bicycle Club.

Children then demonstrated their knowledge of safety concepts by running through six skill stations. Upon graduation from the fair, each child won a packet of prizes and additional information about bicycle safety.